Finally, some fresh information! Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up, and he immediately straightened his posture, "Is there really something behind the scenes?" Zhao Elder nodded slightly, speaking in a relaxed tone: "After the war, Tongzhou believed it no longer necessary to remain hidden and aimed to establish itself as the official organization in the second-largest region. Accordingly, it established seven regional branches—North China, Northeast, East China, Central China, South China, Southwest, and Northwest—across the country. "Unforeseen, however, internal conflicts soon emerged within Tongzhou. A group of members, unwilling to become mere pawns of the West, gradually withdrew and established independent organizations. Yet this was not the fundamental reason for Tongzhou's dissolution. "The real cause was that the comprador government was pushed to the margins, while the new government demonstrated a strong sense of sovereignty and a firm resolve to stand firm. Combined with the intense internal disputes and the continuous exodus of members, Tongzhou had not yet managed to establish itself as the official organization in the second-largest region before it was hastily dissolved." Although Zhao Senior had laid out a great deal of background,迟迟未能切入正题, Zhang Yuanqing and Zhao Chenghuang remained deeply engaged. "The internal conflict at the North China Branch actually unfolded under these circumstances—but not a mere conflict, but a massacre," Zhao Senior finally lifted the red veil and began to address the core issue. "Massacre?" Zhang Yuanqing and Zhao Chenghuang exchanged glances. Zhang asked, "Who initiated the massacre?" Zhao Senior shook his head. "All I know is that, just before the dissolution of Tongzhou Association, the senior leadership of the North China Branch suddenly convened all members for a meeting. The outcome of that meeting was that everyone present perished." Zhang Yuanqing frowned thoughtfully. "If it were an internal conflict, one would expect a victor among the numerous battlefield participants—complete annihilation seems unlikely. But if it was indeed a massacre, that makes perfect sense. The meeting was organized independently by the North China Branch—so the only plausible explanation is that the headquarters of Tongzhou Association was responsible. Yet, why would they choose to massacre the members of the North China Branch? How did you come to know about this, Senior Zhao?" "Even Master Jiang doesn't fully understand the details." Zhao Elder sipped his tea. "Back then, there was one survivor from the North China branch. When he was en route to the meeting, he encountered an unforeseen incident that delayed him. When he finally arrived at the gathering site, he found only a battlefield—bloodied and scorched, with not a single body left among the members." He set down his teacup and, before Zhang Yuanqing had a chance to speak, added, "That survivor—you’ve actually met him before, and you’ve interacted with him on several occasions. He is the Grand Delegation of Shanhe Yongsheng, the Master of the Night Rose." Shanhe Yongsheng?! This news caught Zhang Yuanqing off guard. He hadn’t expected "Shanhe Yongsheng" to be connected to Tongzhou Society, though, considering the warning from the Master of Pure Yang last night, it now began to make sense. Since Shanhe Yongsheng holds the position of Grand Delegation of the Night Rose, and this connection ties into a secret history of Tongzhou Society, Ling Tu had arranged for the Master of Pure Yang to appear and issue a warning—specifically to As Zhang Yuanqing began to emerge, Zhao Chenguang hesitated, asking, "Grandfather, how did the Mountain and River Everlasting come to tell you all these things? I remember our relationship hasn't been particularly good." Zhao the Elder replied calmly, "I personally recruited Mountain and River Everlasting into the Taiyuan Sect. I once saved his life. Besides, our relationship has always been excellent—though we haven't seen much of each other lately." What could be considered an excellent relationship if they've seen little of one another? Zhao Chenguang couldn't argue and nodded with a stern expression. At that moment, Zhang Yuan清 gathered his thoughts and turned to Zhao the Elder, asking, "What else did Mountain and River Everlasting say about the massacre at the North China Branch?" Zhao the Elder shook his head, "He wasn't among the first generation of spiritual realm travelers. He only obtained his role card during the late Ming period, at which time he was merely a mid-level official. In that incident, he was just lucky to survive." The issue with the Free Alliance had only recently surfaced, and it had subsequently drawn in the Tongzhou Association. Prior to that, even Zhao the Elder, as one of Certainly, he wouldn't go digging deep into the enduring rivers and mountains—now it's too late to pursue it further. But if the rivers and mountains know nothing at all, then why did Lingtuo assign the Pure Yang Master to scare me? That doesn't make sense... Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows. Even if the rivers and mountains know some things, having defected from the Taiyuan Sect, the senior officials of the Night Rose are protected by the Yin, making it impossible to locate them, let alone capture them. So, then, what was the point of the Pure Yang Master scaring him last night? Unless... the issue isn't with the rivers and mountains at all. Zhao Elder must still be hiding another secret—one that Lingtuo doesn't want me to know, or doesn't want to make public. What secret might Zhao Elder be harboring? Zhang Yuanqing's mind suddenly stirred, and he looked at the stern, composed elder, saying, "Let's set aside the matter of the rivers and mountains for now. Just now, you seemed surprised when you mentioned the Tongzhou Society. What do you think my real purpose of this visit is?" "Pause a moment, he cut straight to the point: 'What's in the basement?' Zhao Chenghuang entered the basement by a fortunate accident—though it was not exactly what he had intended. Zhao the Elder was certain that Zhao had urged his nephew to go down there and explore, and thus, his primary objective was the basement. That's why he was genuinely surprised and startled when Zhao the Elder showed no interest in the basement upon mentioning the Tongzhou Association. By the time Suan Yuanqing had asked this question, he had already prepared himself for a possible outburst from Zhao the Elder. To his surprise, however, Zhao the Elder calmly sipped his tea, and gently replied, 'You'd like to know what's in the basement?' 'Can I?' Yuanqing countered. Zhao the Elder remained silent, drinking his tea until the bowl was empty. It seemed as though he had finally grasped something. Then, in a steady voice, he said, 'I've kept Chenghuang away from the basement precisely to prevent his descendants from being affected by this karmic connection. If you insist on digging deeper, then let me show you.' Both Yuanqing and Zhao Chenghuang rose to their feet, the Zhao Elder, seated calmly on his wooden stool, dissolved into starlight. Zhang Yuanqing also employed the Star Flight technique, following the lingering aura of Zhao Elder, and arrived beneath the earth. He found himself in an ancient, dark tunnel, its walls paved with concrete, the ceiling cracked and weathered, revealing dense clusters of roots. Zhao Elder stood before a door made of decaying wood, turned to him, and said, "Come in!" With a sound that was almost painful, he pushed open the door and stepped into the dark underground chamber. Zhang Yuanqing lost sight of Zhao Elder's presence, as though the latter had entered another world. Secret? It seems the things within this basement are meant to remain unseen. Zhang Yuanqing hurried forward and entered the dark chamber. Thanks to the Night-Wanderer's unique vision, he effortlessly penetrated the darkness and brought the chamber's interior into clear view. The chamber was roughly twenty square meters, with only one piece of furniture—a worn long table—on which stood a ceramic pot. Nothing more. Instead, the ground and walls were inscribed with spiritual scrolls and array techniques—precisely those that Zhang Yuanqing had never mastered, the "secret" arrays. Zhang Yuanqing stood motionless, surprised—this didn't match his expectations. Such a simple underground chamber was utterly incongruent with its status as the "Zhao Family's Sacred Ground." What was Zhao Elder trying to conceal? His gaze settled on the table and the ceramic pot—items that, as the master, he immediately recognized as ordinary, lacking any spiritual essence. At that moment, Zhao Elder approached the pot, extended his hand to dig through the black soil inside, and extracted a black seed the size of a fingernail. He turned to face Zhang Yuanqing and said solemnly, "Do you know what it is?" "Just a seed," Zhang Yuanqing replied. "Know its origin?" asked Zhao Elder. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. Zhao Elder spoke slowly, "It was left behind by the mother of Ling Jun." A relic from Ling Jun's mother? Hearing Zhao Elder's explanation, Zhang Yuanqing was initially bewildered, unable to grasp why Zhao Elder held such deep regard for the heirloom belonging to Ling Jun's mother—so much so as to go to the extent of setting up the Taiyin array deep underground. But soon, he recalled information that had nearly slipped his mind. In the audio recordings between the魔君 and Teng'er's mother, there were conversations about Ling Jun's mother. ——Ling Jun's mother had revealed a dreadful secret, suspecting she wouldn't live long, and thus called her sister—Teng'er's mother—to entrust Ling Jun's upbringing. Shortly after, Ling Jun's mother entered the realm and never emerged again. She had died within the realm. At this realization, Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of energy, and on the surface, feigned bewilderment: "The heirlooms of Ling Jun's mother—worthy of such careful preservation by you?" He hadn't expected that the incidental encounter of the bedroom scenes would have such a follow-up. Old Zhao gently shook his head: "Before she returned to the Spiritual Realm, one day she suddenly found me and asked me to keep this seed safe. She said the seed concealed a secret, and that if I accidentally revealed its existence, even I might face certain death. 'What should I do with it?' I asked her. 'I don't know,' she replied. 'She handed the seed over to me shortly before she returned to the Spiritual Realm.' That explains why Old Zhao has never allowed anyone to enter the basement, and why he doesn't wish to become entangled in any karmic connections—Zhang Yuanqing suddenly understood. Yet he immediately questioned: 'Given how important this is, why did she choose you instead of Elder Miao?' 'Miao is far from discreet,' Old Zhao remarked calmly. 'Feng Ling is my student. It's no surprise that she entrusted the seed to me.'" Zhang Yuan had long known that the Star Sovereign and the current Qing Di were cousins, which explained why the Taiyuan Sect and the Hundred Blossom Association had maintained close ties. Since the mother of Ling Jun was a student of Zhao Elder, this wasn't surprising at all. He said solemnly, "So, Ling Jun's mother was murdered?" Zhao Elder sighed, "No, she actually attained the Ling Realm within the副本—this is something I personally witnessed. The servants who cared for her and the monitoring staff can all testify to it. Her luck just wasn't good; she happened to encounter an S-tier副本." So, truly a coincidence? Zhang Yuan fixed his gaze on the seed. "Have you tried to unlock its potential?" "This seed was cultivated by Feng Ling. It requires a special technique to take root and grow. I've tried numerous methods, but none have succeeded in reviving it. Since I couldn't summon the Wood Spirit for assistance, I eventually gave up." Old Zhao held the seed in his fingers, rubbing it gently between his thumb and fingers. "I've observed the stars countless times, yet I've never seen its emergence in the river of fate, nor have I witnessed anyone whose destiny is intertwined with it. Perhaps some have deliberately blocked its fate, or perhaps it has an innate ability to ward off observation. In the end, I simply don't know what to do, so I've kept it in the basement." Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Then, why tell me all this today?" Old Zhao curled his fingers and flicked the black seed into Zhang Yuanqing's arms, smiling slightly. "You're not my grandson, after all. Why must you insist on being bound by this connection?" "...", Zhang Yuanqing quickly returned the seed to Old Zhao. "Let's keep it here for now. The protective influence of the Great Yin ensures its safety." It's safer than storing it in his personal inventory. Old Zhao's expression grew serious. "Master Yuan-Shi, I brought you here not merely to pass this difficult matter off on you, but because you are, in fact, the one best suited to unravel its mystery." He then flicked it back. Yet, as he kept saying he wouldn’t pass the hot potato my way, he threw it right at me without hesitation… Zhang Yuanqing smiled politely but spoke with a hint of dryness, “So, perhaps I am the one fated to carry this burden?” Zhao Elder shook his head, “The karmic threads woven through you are tangled and complex—neither too many nor too few. Moreover, I haven’t yet resolved the secret left behind by the wind chime, but you can. It’s well known that Yuan Shi Tian Zun has always been proud and rebellious; I have full confidence in your character.” The two back-and-forth exchanged several times, and ultimately, the seed remained in the basement. After all, it had been there for over twenty years, quietly undisturbed—maintaining the status quo was the most secure course of action. Zhang Yuanqing agreed to Zhao Elder’s request, promising to investigate the matter thoroughly and to keep it strictly confidential. Upon returning to the courtyard, Zhao Chenghuang accompanied him under the pretext of escorting Yuan Shi Tian Zun, and as they stepped out of the old alley, he couldn’t wait to ask: “What’s in the basement?” “Zhang Yuanqing sighed impatiently, “Although you're not my grandson, and yet you insist on claiming a connection through karmic ties, I still won't tell you.” Zhao Chenghuang: “???…” …… Songhai. In the study room of Fu Family Villa, Zhang Yuanqing’s true form was deeply immersed in thought. Now a seasoned cultivator of the Gou Sect, he delegates all affairs to his duplicates, allowing his true self to operate remotely. Under the current scenario where the half-gods rarely intervene, he faces almost no direct threats. His current rank still doesn’t warrant a personal appearance from a half-god. To cut to the chase, Zhang Yuanqing found the situation growing increasingly enigmatic. Initially, he suspected Ling Tuo’s intent was to prevent him from investigating the preservation of mountains and rivers. Later, he began to suspect that Ling Tuo’s real objective was to block his exploration of Zhao Elder’s underground vault. However, upon leaving Zhao’s quadrangle courtyard, he realized something was off—Ling Jun’s mother had entrusted the seed to Zhao Elder’s care, implying a hidden protection. If Ling Tuo were unaware of this, how could he possibly have orchestrated a blockage? …… Free The villa by the lake, in the bedroom with vast floor-to-ceiling windows, Zhai Cai sat cross-legged on the bed, his chest and abdomen rising and falling rhythmically, emitting a golden-yellow glow from his nasal passages. Over the past several months, he has been steadily preparing for the next quest, which has now been eight months since his last one. According to the pattern of a Level 7 Master, there must be one quest per year. That means, within the next two months, he will enter the quest at any moment. Currently, Zhai Cai's experience level stands at 95%. With just one more quest—any below A-level but above C-level—he will smoothly advance to Level 8. Given his hidden points, this quest will likely be at most A-level, probably B-level, so it should pose no significant challenge. Every outstanding prodigy should learn to manage their hidden points, ensuring that each quest they enter is no more than B-level, which is the most reliable path to steady progression. This way, they can sustain their growth all the way to Level 8, or even Level 9. The cost is calculated based on the prolonged cycle of the Dominion phase. To survive and reach Level Nine may take half a century, or even longer. Not long after, Zhai Cai ended her meditation and prepared to go outside to refine her sword skills and physical strength. At that moment, a subtle voice from her earpiece announced: 【Ping! The spiritual realm map is loading. Enter the realm in 20 seconds. This is your current spiritual realm: "The Dusk of the Knight," ID: 16.】 【Difficulty Level: S】 【Type: Solo (Death-based)】 【Main Objective: Survive for 30 days, or eliminate all enemies.】 【Note: Non-spiritual realm items cannot be brought in.】 【Realm Description: Darkness envelops the land, the Blood Moon descends, and demons awakened from their slumber surge forth, surrounding the Church!】 Zhai Cai's face paled instantly, her eyes filled with disbelief and growing despair. An S-tier Dominion phase quest? "This can't be true. This can't be true. My hidden points haven't even reached the threshold for an S-tier quest!" He burst out of the room, roaring, "Yata, my copy has arrived! S-rank knight, Dusk..." He vanished into the room, leaving only the lingering echo.